What is a Computer TV tuner

A computer TV tuner is a chipset that is commonly attached in the computer’s central processing unit (CPU). This component’s function is to allow computers to receive television signals, which gives computers the feature to broadcast television channels. 

This computer hardware device also allows computers to convert analog signals into digital television signals.

Modern computer TV tuner cards have the function to record television programs that can be automatically stored in the hard disk. This type of TV tuner technology is also known as video capture cards. Later models of the said hardware device came in different types and are then also able to be connected to the computer externally.  

Computer TV tuner cards have several interfaces that are available in the market including:

• PCI bus expansion card
• PCI Express
• Mini PCI Express
• PCMCIA
• PCMCIA Express (USB)
• HAVA and HD Home Run (Ethernet-connected hardware)

There are also some video cards that include a built-in TV tuner card. Besides the contained TV tuner card, this type of video card also has a feature that converts analog signals to digital.

Computer TV tuner cards are also categorized in to different variants that are currently sold in the market.

• Analog TV Tuners. This type of TV tuner card is capable of displaying video stream files that are mostly encoded to MPEG format (Motion JPEG). This hardware device can also receive FM radio signals.
• Digital TV Tuners. A device that uses MPEG-2 in broadcasting video streams. This type of TV tuner card does not require an encoder since the device provides the entire transport stream for MPEG video format.
• Hybrid TV Tuners. A single TV tuner card that can both function as analog or digital TV tuner. The given function is able to be configured by its user through the software of the computer or the hardware driver that is usually installed in the system once the device is connected in the computer. Switching from analog tuner to digital tuner is easy, but this device can only perform a feature one at a time until the tuner card has been reconfigured.
• Combo Tuners. A TV tuner card that is comprised by two different tuners, which is an analog tuner and a digital tuner. This is handy, since it can perform two tasks at the same time. This tuner card enables users to both watch video streams and at the same time record videos digitally.